564 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Deo. 28, 1866. 



Michigan Elk. 



Waterford, Oakland County, Mich. — I notice that Mr. 

 Hough seems to he searching for information as to the 

 fact whether the wapiti or American elk ever inhabited 

 the lower peninsula of this State. It certainly did, and 

 probably about the beginning of this century elk were 

 quite numerous, judging from the many skeletons and 

 antlers of theirs found in the lakes and bays. As late as 

 the fall of 1859 or '60 my father and I tracked a drove of 

 eleven elk some distance while encamped in a hunting 

 expedition on White Creek, a tributary of Cass River, in 

 the northern part of Tuscola county; but the herd had too 

 much the start of us and got into an almost impenetrable 

 thicket of wild plum and willow bordering a small stream, 

 and we ceased our pursuit of them, thinking we would 

 look for them again. Then we followed a bear whose 

 track looked so fresh that we expected momentarily to 

 overhaul it; but didn't in going some miles, and had to 

 give it up also when night came on. It went through all 

 the windfalls in its course, which we had to go around, 

 and lost time. While encamped there a day or two after- 

 ward a party of five or six Indians came along, each bear- 

 ing a heavy load of elk meat, on their way to Hart's Mill, 

 or Wajamega, as it is called now, some five or six miles 

 away. We had a chance to buy some of it, but it looked 

 bloody and dirty from having been badly handled, and we 

 thought we would kill our own meat; but we neither saw 

 nor got any at that time nor since. 



The adjoining counties of Sanilac and Huron were very 

 much frequented by these fine animals, and it is a shame 

 that they have all been exterminated, the last one about 

 the year 1876-7. 



Tipseco, an Indian of giant stature and the strength of 

 two men, who was a great hunter, is said .to have killed a 

 drove of seven elk up there in that section in one day. 



J. W. 



In a Texas Game Country. 



Velasco, Tex., Dec. 15,— A party consisting of Messrs. 

 T. W. Gregory, Edgar Nalle. A. F. Ros<s J. A. Jackson 

 and C. J. Johnson, of Austin, Tex.; W. A. Jones, of 

 Waco, Tex. ; G. F. Tarlton, L. A. Carlton and W. C. 

 Morrow, of Hillsboro, Tex.; Dr. J. D. McGregor, of 

 Houston, Tex., and J. M. Moore, of Velasco, Tex., have 

 been camping in the Colorado River country west of this 

 place for the past week, hunting and fishing. 



Messrs. Moore and Morrow came in with a load of game 

 yesterday to express to the various families of the nim- 

 rods. I inclose you a photograph made in front of Hotel 

 Velasco the evening of their arrival. They report twenty- 

 nine deer so far and splendid sport with the Ibirds. Par- 

 tridges and jacksnipe are plentiful, while the late norther 

 brought in large numbers of duck and geese. 



A party consisting of well-known railroad officials from 

 the Gould system have been here the past ten days fishing 

 and oystering at Cridar Lake. They report a heavy catch 

 of redfish and sheepshead, shipping several barrels of fish 

 to their families for the holidays. The silvery-scaled tar- 

 pon, the king of the game fishes, is plentiful here, but 

 while it is no trouble to hook them the fishermen are 

 amateurs and have not yet learned the art of killing their 

 game. Mr. J. A. Russ, auditor of the Pacific Express Co., 

 and Mr. W. J. Taylor, general baggage agent, both of 

 Palestine, Tex., and both leading members of the Pales- 

 tine Rod and Gun Club, lead the party of railroaders. 



The weather is delightfully cool and bracing, in fact our 

 mild winters make it the finest country in the world for 

 camping. J. B. Shea. 



Wild Turkeys in Michigan. 



Holland, Mich., Dec. 16.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 The wild turkeys which old man Buck reported to Mr. E. 

 Hough as occurring below Grand Rapids, Mich. , thirty 

 years ago are still there in very small numbers. Nine 

 out of a flock of about thirty have been shot there during 

 the open season, which closed yesterday. Of these the 

 last, a pair, were killed the 7th inst. The hen, which 

 weighed 12lbs., was brought to me for mounting. The 

 gobbler was spoiled by the dog, having been pretty well 

 denuded of feathers. 



The turkeys are found in or near an almost impene- 

 trable swamp, where it is very difficult to secure them; 

 yet I fear that owing to the number of hunters who are 

 desirous of bagging some that they will be totally exter- 

 minated in a year or two. 



I have a report which, however, I have been unable to 

 verify, but have no reason to disbelieve, that a (lock 

 has made its home in a piece of heavy timber within ten 

 miles of this city for some- time past. This fall a party 

 of hunters found them and shot most of them. Thus will 

 vanish our largest game bird to join the buffalo and elk 

 on their way to extinction. 



Speaking of elk reminds me that a few days ago I was 

 shown a section uf an elk horn which a farmer plowed 

 up on his farm in Olive, eight miles from here, four years 

 ago. Another friend has nearly the entire antlers, though 

 in parts, of an elk. These were found in Laketown, 

 seven miles from here, twenty year3 ago. 



Arthur G. Baumgartel. 



In Michigan. 



East Saoinaw, Dec. 17.— Winter has set in in earnest 

 with us. Very soon after the shooting season on quail 

 and ruffed grouse opened heavy snows commenced and 

 have kept up ever since. I do not think the birds have 

 been injured any, but I do know that it has prevented 

 piles of them from being shot. I have not seen or heard 

 of one being in market this year, showing that that por- 

 tion of our game law is a success, and I do know that the 

 snow has been too deep for sportsmen to tramp after 

 them. I never have seen ruffed grouse in the last ten or 

 twelve years more plentiful than this year, and if all goes 

 well, will be in great luck another season. W. B. M. 



"That reminds me." 



A Snap "Shot. 

 A modest, smiling, good-natured young lawyer is Ben. 

 Ben and Blackstone always did agree. But Ben under- 

 stands rifle shooting too. And in the ordinary course of 

 events Ben became possessed of a pretty little .32 Marlin. 

 And so when he visited us a few months ago his rifle was 

 conspicuous among his trappings. He sometimes gently 

 hinted in his remarks that he had strong notions of extin- 

 guishing the squirrel breed in our section. Later, how- 

 ever, he seems to have turned his attentions toward 

 snipe, as will appear from the following: 



Sauntering forth on one beautiful summer's morn in 

 company with several of the fair sex and a certain Mr. 

 H., Ben thought fit to take his rifle along, probably as a 

 defense to the piercing darts of Cupid — who knows? In 

 their ramblings they stirred up a snipe in a thicket in the 

 vicinity of our house, that immediately arose and started 

 down the swamp. At the sight of this little snipe Ben 

 reasoned somewhat like the little boy: 



"His body will make me a nice little stew, 

 And probably he will make me a little pie too," 



However, he raised and fired. The snipe fell at the 

 crack of the rifle with a bullet hole right through his 

 body. Mr. H., who is a splendid rifle shot, looked on for 

 some time in silence. Finally he collected bis senses 

 sufficently to remark, "Ben, did you kill that snipe on the 

 wing with a rifle? Impossible!" "Oh yes, Mr. H.," Ben 

 replied in all seriousness. "But I don't think that I could 

 make the center shot every time." 



Much speculation has been indulged in as to how Ben 

 managed to kill that snipe. That the angel of death was 

 hovering over the snipe, or that one of the fair ones gave 

 Ben a "killing" look, are both plausible theories. Then 

 too Ban was "dressed to kill." Bang-Bang. 



In West Virginia. 



Central City, W. Va.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Game is unusually scarce, owing, as some think, to the 

 severe winter we had. Some attribute it a good deal to 

 lawlessness, such as trapping, shooting out of season, etc. 

 To their great shame, it is said, even some of the mem- 

 bers of a gun club kill quail unlawfully, men who, most 

 of all, are expected to respect the laws. I have not pulled 

 a trigger this season. E. 



BLACK RIVER ASSOCIATION. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The Black River Association for the Protection of Fish 

 and G ame has elected the following officers for the ensu- 

 ing year: President, George G. Chassell, Holland Patent; 

 Vice-President, John W. Hicks, Oriskany; Secretary, W. 

 E. Wolcott, Utica; Treasurer, Bion H. Kent, East 

 Steuben. Directors, John W. Hicks, Oriskany; Bion H. 

 Kent, East Steuben; John H. Williams, Remsen; Ben- 

 jamin Sanders, Marcy: H. A. Pride, Holland Patent; W. 

 E. Wolcott, John E. Roberts, Utica. Delegate to State 

 Sportsmen'b convention, W. E. Wolcott. 



An abstract of the secretary's annual report is given : 

 "It can scarcely be said that there has been any very no- 

 ticeable advancement in the line of fish and game protec- 

 tion during the past year, and in some instances sports- 

 men have expressed much dissatisfaction at the non-en- 

 forcement of the game laws in certain localities. Some 

 have even gone so far as to question the advisability of 

 maintaining protective associations, arguing that 

 it was a waste of time and money to continue them. 

 But cooler and, we think, wiser heads have counseled 

 patience, believing that the influence of such associations 

 as ours is manifested for good in may ways, and that it 

 would be a great mistake to give up the struggle just 

 when concentrated efforts are most needed. The mere 

 fact that protective associations exist has a wholesome 

 effect in preventing flagrant violations of the law in the 

 districts in which they are particularly interested and 

 their influence is felt in creating a healthy public senti- 

 ment. That much good has been accomplished in the 

 past can not be gainsaid, and there certainly never was a 

 greater need for concerted action on the part of sports- 

 men than there is at present. This Association applied to 

 the State Commissioners of Fisheries a year ago for 

 200,000 brook trout fry. The application was granted for 

 30,000 brook trout and 10,000 brown trout fry, which 

 were received in the spring and deposited in Oneida 

 county waters. For years past this Association has 

 stocked the waters within its jurisdiction with infant fish 

 and the good results attained warrant the recommenda- 

 tion that the practice be continued. Much regret has 

 been expressed that boards of supervisors in this State no 

 longer have the power of passing acts for the protection 

 of fish and game in their respective counties. Many of 

 the local laws enacted in former years were working well. 

 Partridges were uncommonly numerous in Oneida 

 county this fall, which fact was no doubt due in a 

 great measure to the wise act passed by our board of 

 supervisors two years ago shortening the shooting season 

 at both ends. The law was perhaps not as vigorously en- 

 forced as it might have been, but nevertheless its salu- 

 tary effect was apparent in the increase of birds. Unfor- 

 tunately, however, the law being now inoperative, the 

 shooting season opened early this year and is not yet 

 closed. Birds have been slaughtered in great numbers, 

 especially by market hunters, who have been unusually 

 active in all parts of the county. The following pro- 

 posed changes in the game laws have been forwarded to 

 the chairman of the legislation and law committee of the 

 State Association: Prohibiting floating for and hounding 

 deer at any time. Making the open season for deer, 

 grouse, woodsock and squirrels commence Sept. 1 and 

 close Nov. 15. Repealing the section providing for a 

 bounty on bears. In conclusipn, I desire to call attention 

 to a step which appears to be desirable as the only solu- 

 tion to a problem which has long been puzzling sports- 

 men. Owing to the rapid increase in the number of 

 hunters and the alarming decrease in game of all kinds, 

 it seems likely to be a matter of only a few years before 

 certain kinds of game will become extinct. In view of 

 this fact it would seem to be wisdom to prohibit abso- 

 lutely, for a term of years at least, the sale of any and all 

 kinds of game killed in this State. 



Resolutions were adopted declaring it to be the sense of 

 the Association that the sale of game and speckled trout 

 killed in this State should be prohibited, and that the 

 open season for hares and rabbits in Oneida county should 

 be from Sept. 1 to Feb. 1. 



The secretary was instructed to apply for 200,000 brook 



trout fry and a committee was appointed to attend to 

 their distribution. Portsa. 

 Utioa, N. Y„ Dec. 20. 



A SUMMER AT SAN CATALINA. 



Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 16.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 It is I know rather late in the day to report such a thing, 

 but if you care to have it, here in brief is the result of a 

 delightful summer's sport at Santa Catalina Island, the 

 wonderful fishing resort of the southern California coast. 

 Too much cannot be said for this charming sport from the 

 point of view of the angler or the lover of splendid 

 scenery, wherefore these few words of mine may possibly 

 tempt others to go where I have been and enjoy the same 

 pleasures. 



My trip was an unalloyed season of delight to me, and 

 now as I look my long list of photographs over I take 

 pleasure in recalling many a tussle with the game fish of 

 those waters, whose number is legion. The great game 

 fish is, of course, the famous yellow-tail (Seriola dorsalis), 

 whose terrific rushes, pluck and unyielding strength try 

 both the patience of the angler and the pliancy of his rod. 

 The giant jewfish (Stereolepis gigas) too is an adversary 

 as tireless as the world can stand, and when once roused 

 to action one of the most tremendous fighters for which 

 an angler can ask. To kill fairly with rod and reel a fair- 

 sized jewfish represents, as I well know from experience, 

 a good day's work. My largest one took me three hours 

 and thirty-five minutes to bring to gaff, and I think he 

 towed our boat nearly four miles. 



During the whole summer I used a 7ft. Hall striped bass 

 rod— perfection it proved too— capable of lifting at most 

 4ilbs. of dead weight; a powerful, best make, Abbey & 

 Imbrie multiplying reel, and from 900 to 1,000ft. of Cutty- 

 hunk line. 



I found a thumb-stall absolutely necessary, and of these 

 I wore out six as well as two stout leather brakes in the 

 course of my sport. 



Here is a summing up: Jewfish, four specimens, 98, 148, 

 168 and 2101bs. respectively; total, 624 lbs. ; yellow-tail, 131 

 fish, total 2,3321bs. Rod and reel catch for the whole 

 summer, 5,4121bs. Stuart-Menteth Beard. 



Fishermen's Luck. 



The pranks that Dame Fortune plays with us poor fish- 

 ermen are enough of themselves to fill a book. How 

 many a fisherman has gone down to the riverside to give 

 a novice his first lesson in the gentle art, and then and 

 there bas had his nose put out of joint by the novice's 

 luck. There was that big trout beneath the log. Fly 

 after fly had you put over him with all the nicety that a 

 split- bamboo rod and the experience of years could com- 

 mand; and yet it was not by your skill that he was caught 

 at last, but to the clumsy efforts of a youth with a strong 

 line, rough pole and large hook with a worm on. Shall I 

 ever forget a certain expedition along a river bank in 

 search of trout, where a small boy of eight summers 

 killed a round dozen of good fish, when I, within a few 

 yards of him, could not so much as get a rise? What ad- 

 vice or instructions he did offer me, and how my good 

 friends laughed when I told the tale. Ah, well, it is a 

 strange world, this little world of fish. We live and 

 learn, and then we live and prove our learning wrong 

 again. John E. Newsome. 



Canada. 



Unml 



FIXTURES. 



BENCH 8HOW8. 

 1896. 



Feb. 19 to 22.— Westminster Kennel Club's twentieth annual dog 

 show, Madison Square Garden, New York. James Mortimer, Sunt. 



March 3 to 6.— City of the Straits Kennel Club, Detroit, Mich. Arthur 

 D. Welton, Sec'y, 25 Larned street, West. 



March 10 to 13— Chicago.— Mascoutah Kennel Club's bench show. 

 John L. Lincoln, Sec'y. 



March 17 to 20.— St. Louis Kennel Club's show, St. Louis. W. 

 Hutchinson, Sec'y. 



April 20 to 23 —New England Kennel Club's twelfth annual show. 

 D. E. Loveland, Sec'y. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



1896. 



Jan. 20.— Batersfleld, Cal.— Pacific Coast Field Trial Club. J. M. 

 Kilgarif , Sec'y. 



Jan. 20.— West Point, Miss.— U. S. F. T. C. trials. W. B. Stafford, 

 Sec'y. 



Feb. 3.— West Point, Miss.— Southern F. T. C. seventh annual trials. 

 T. M. Brumby, Sec'y. 



Feb. 10 or later.— West Point, Miss.— The Field Trial Champion 

 Association's first trial. W. B. Stafford, Sec'y. 



Sept. 2.— Morris, Man.— Manitoba Field Trials Club. John Wootton, 

 Sec'y. 



A. K. C. MEETING. 



A special meeting of the American Kennel Club was 

 held at 55 Liberty street, Dec. 19. 



The Vice-President, James H. Terry, presided. 



There were represented: Associate members (H. H. 

 Hunnewell, Jr.; and H. T. Foote), Brunswick Fur Club 

 (B. S. Turpin), Scottish Terrier Club (J. L. Little), South- 

 ern California Kennel Club (C. D. Bernbeimer), Bull-Ter- 

 rier Club (A. Thomson), American Mastiff Club (G. G. 

 Stephenson), American Spaniel Club (E. M. Oldham), Bos- 

 ton Terrier Club (L. Burritt), Bull Dog Club of America 

 (E. W. Roby), Collie Club of America (J. Watson), Colum- 

 bus Fanciers' Club (J. M. Taylor), Gordon Setter Club (J. 

 B. Blossom), Great Dane Club (C. Wood), Mascoutah 

 Kennel Club (C. F. R. Drake), National Beagle Club (H. 

 F. Schellhass), New England Kennel Club (Edward 

 Brooks), New Jersey Kennel League (E. H. Morris), North- 

 western Beagle Club (F. S. Webster), Pacific Kennel Club 

 (James Mortimer), Pointer Club of America (G. Jarvis), 

 Westminster Kennel Club (Thomas H. Terry). And by 

 credentials the following: New England Beagle Club (H. 

 S. Joslin), Rhode Island State Fair Association (Marcel A, 

 Viti), Scottish Terrier Club (James L. Little), Bull-Terrier 

 Club (Arthur Thomson). 



Vice-President Terry having resigned, Mr. Edward 

 Brooks was elected to the office and took the chair. 



The secretary's report was read, adopted and placed on 

 file. 



The following amendments were made to the constitu- 

 tion: 



Art. IV.— Sec. 2. Before such delegate shall be entitled to qualify 

 in the Association he must be accepted by ballot by the Association or 

 i ts executive committee. A majority vote will be necessary to accept 



